Indulge in the unparalleled delight of this Caramelised Onion Quiche, a culinary masterpiece bursting with layers of exquisite flavor. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of salty-savory goodness from crispy bacon, a deep, mellow sweetness from perfectly caramelized red onions, and a luxurious richness delivered by a simple yet decadent creamy egg filling. This quiche isn’t just a meal; it’s a comforting treat designed to elevate any occasion, whether it’s a bustling breakfast, a leisurely brunch, a satisfying lunch, or an elegant dinner.
The foundation of this extraordinary quiche is its truly amazing pastry crust. Imagine a buttery, impossibly flaky shell that crumbles delicately with every forkful, so delicious you’ll find yourself saving that golden edge for the very last, most anticipated bite. This trusted quiche pastry recipe is a consistent crowd-pleaser, delivering perfect results every time. For an extra touch of indulgence, this specific onion quiche recipe calls for cream in its filling, imparting an unparalleled depth of flavor and velvety texture. However, for a lighter alternative without compromising on deliciousness, whole milk can be easily substituted (my personal everyday preference).
Growing up, my mother’s bacon and potato quiche was a cherished Sunday lunch tradition, and for me, quiche still primarily evokes the cozy feeling of a midday meal. Yet, this bacon and caramelised onion quiche transcends traditional meal times. Its comforting yet sophisticated profile makes it an ideal choice for a celebratory brunch or a relaxed late-morning breakfast. Picture yourself savoring a slice with a warm cup of coffee, bathed in the soft morning sunshine – it’s a simple pleasure that truly completes the experience.
Table of Contents
- Essential Ingredients for Your Quiche
- Step-by-Step Guide to Making Caramelised Onion Quiche
- Expert Tips and Tricks for Perfect Quiche
- Preparing Your Quiche in Advance
- More Delicious Recipes to Explore
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Essential Ingredients for Your Quiche
This bacon and onion quiche truly embodies a homely, country-style charm, promising a relaxing and satisfying meal. The beauty of this recipe lies in its use of very simple, everyday ingredients, much like those found in a classic French Quiche Lorraine, but with an exciting, sweet and savory twist from the star of the show: those beautifully caramelized red onions. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in building the incredible depth of flavor and texture that makes this quiche so special.
For a comprehensive list of quantities and detailed instructions, please jump to the recipe card below.
- Flour: You’ll need good old plain flour, also widely known as all-purpose flour, to create that exquisitely tender and flaky quiche pastry. The quality of your flour will contribute significantly to the crust’s structure.
- Butter: I wholeheartedly recommend using salted butter for the pastry crust, as it adds a wonderful depth of flavor that complements the richness of the filling. If unsalted butter is all you have, simply add a small pinch of salt to the flour mixture to achieve a similar balance. Remember, cold butter is key for flakiness!
- Eggs: A total of 7 large eggs are required for this recipe: one for the pastry to help bind it and six for the lusciously creamy filling. Eggs are fundamental to quiche, providing both structure and richness to the custard.
- Bacon: Finely dicing your bacon is a crucial step! This ensures that you get a delightful burst of salty, savory bacon in every single mouthful of quiche, making each bite incredibly satisfying. For a subtle variation, diced ham can be used as a delicious alternative, offering a milder flavor profile.
- Onions: A caramelised onion quiche wouldn’t be complete without its namesake! I opt for red onions due to their slightly sweeter and milder flavor when caramelized, which develops into a beautiful, deep magenta hue. While brown onions will certainly work, they tend to have a stronger, more pungent flavor that will alter the overall balance of the quiche.
- Dried Thyme: This aromatic herb offers a fantastic, earthy complement to the sweet onions and savory bacon. It’s a convenient, shelf-stable flavoring that imparts warmth and depth. If you prefer using fresh thyme, use approximately 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves for a more vibrant herbal note.
- Brown Sugar: To achieve that truly irresistible caramelization in the onions, a little help from brown sugar is essential. It aids in developing the rich golden-brown color and profound sweetness that defines caramelised onions.
- Balsamic Vinegar: A classic companion to caramelised onions, balsamic vinegar adds a sophisticated tang and a touch of acidity that beautifully balances the sweetness of the onions, deepening their complex flavor profile.
- Cheese: For a touch of gourmet flair, I’ve chosen Gruyère cheese – a nutty, semi-hard Swiss cheese that melts beautifully and offers a distinctive flavor. However, feel free to substitute with your favorite sharp or mild cheddar for a more classic approach. Parmesan cheese can also work, but be mindful that its stronger, saltier flavor will make a more dominant impact. For a truly unique and harmonious pairing with the caramelised onions, consider adding around 120g / 4oz of goat cheese, torn into small pieces, or even some crumbled feta for a salty tang.
- Cream: For the ultimate creamy quiche filling, you’ll want to use thickened cream, also known as heavy cream or whipping cream. This provides an incredibly rich and smooth custard. If you prefer a slightly lighter option, light cream can be used, or for an everyday alternative, whole milk works wonderfully and is my usual go-to.
- Seasoning: A careful balance of salt and freshly cracked black pepper is all that’s needed to perfectly round out and enhance the flavors of all the ingredients, ensuring a well-seasoned and delicious quiche.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Caramelised Onion Quiche
Crafting this savory onion and bacon quiche is a surprisingly straightforward process, despite its impressive appearance and gourmet flavor. Even the homemade pastry, often considered daunting, becomes a breeze with the help of a food processor. The only component demanding a little patience is the chilling of the pastry, which requires a minimum of 2 hours to achieve its desirable flaky texture and prevent shrinkage during baking. This chilling period, however, transforms into a significant advantage: you can prepare the quiche pastry crust 2-3 days in advance, a fantastic win for meal planning and entertaining! Similarly, the onions and bacon can be cooked a couple of days beforehand, allowing you to simply assemble and bake your magnificent quiche on the day you wish to serve it, minimizing last-minute stress.
For precise measurements and detailed step-by-step instructions, please refer to the full recipe card.
1. Prepare the Flaky Pastry Crust
Begin by combining the flour and cold, cubed butter in your food processor. Pulse briefly until the butter pieces are roughly the size of small lentils or peas. This ensures those vital pockets of butter that create flakiness. Next, add the cold egg and pulse again until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Finally, with the food processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the cold water until the dough just begins to clump together. Be careful not to overmix; you want the butter pieces to remain distinct.
2. Roll Out and Chill the Pastry
Gently gather the pastry dough with your hands, forming it into a smooth disc. Avoid overworking the dough, as this can develop gluten and lead to a tough crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a large, even circle, approximately 4mm thick and about 2 inches wider than the base of your chosen quiche dish. Carefully transfer the rolled pastry into your quiche dish. A crucial step here is to gently press the sides of the pastry down into the corners of the dish; resist the urge to stretch or press from the center outwards, as this will thin out your pastry and encourage shrinkage. Once fitted, chill the pastry-lined dish for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 72 hours. This chilling period is vital for allowing the gluten to relax, preventing the pastry from shrinking during baking, and ensuring that coveted flaky texture. If you don’t own a quiche dish, a pie dish or tart pan of similar size will work perfectly.
3. Cook the Savory Bacon
While your pastry is undergoing its essential chilling period, you can begin preparing the flavorful filling. Start by dicing your bacon finely to ensure even distribution of its savory goodness throughout the quiche. Cook the diced bacon in a heavy-based pan over medium heat until it turns beautifully golden and crispy. This step not only renders out flavorful fat but also creates delightful little morsels of bacon that will add texture and a punch of umami to your quiche. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside, reserving just one tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat for the next step – it will add incredible flavor to your onions.
4. Master the Art of Caramelised Onions
With the crispy bacon set aside, leave just one tablespoon of the rendered fat (or oil) in the pan. Add the thinly sliced red onions and dried thyme to the pan, along with a pinch of salt. Cook these over medium-low heat for a good 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This slow cooking process is vital for softening the onions and coaxing out their natural sugars, allowing them to transform into deeply sweet, tender gems. You’ll know they’re ready when they begin to show golden bits. At this point, stir in the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The sugar will aid in browning and sweetening, while the balsamic vinegar adds a beautiful tang and depth of flavor. Once caramelized to a rich, glossy brown, set these aside with the cooked bacon. Both the bacon and caramelised onions can be prepared a couple of days in advance and stored in the fridge, making your assembly day even easier.
5. Blind Bake the Pastry Shell
Once your pastry case has sufficiently chilled, preheat your oven to the specified temperature. Before baking, take a paring knife and run it flat along the top edge of the quiche dish to neatly trim away any excess pastry, creating a clean, professional finish. Next, use a fork to generously prick holes all over the base of the pastry – this essential step, known as “docking,” prevents the pastry from puffing up excessively during baking. Line the base with baking paper, ensuring it covers the entire bottom, and fill it with pie weights or even uncooked rice. These weights prevent the crust from bubbling up and shrinking. Bake the pastry for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the baking paper and weights and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. At this point, the crust should be lightly golden around the edges and partially cooked, ready to hold your delectable filling without becoming soggy.
6. Prepare the Creamy Egg Filling
The heart of any quiche is its rich, custardy filling, and this one is wonderfully simple to prepare. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream (or milk), salt, and pepper. Vigorously whisk the mixture together until it is perfectly smooth and homogenous. It’s important to ensure that there are absolutely no visible streaks of unmixed egg white remaining, as this will affect the texture and consistency of your finished quiche. A well-beaten filling guarantees a silky, uniform custard that beautifully cradles the savory fillings.
7. Assemble and Bake Your Masterpiece
Now comes the exciting part: assembling your magnificent bacon and onion quiche! Begin by scattering half of the grated cheese evenly over the blind-baked pastry base. This creates a delicious cheesy layer that will act as a barrier against a soggy bottom. Next, spread the savory caramelized onions and crispy bacon in an even layer over the cheese. If these ingredients have been chilling in the fridge and are a bit stuck together, a quick 20-30 second zap in the microwave will help loosen them up. Top this layer with the remaining grated cheese, ensuring good coverage. Finally, carefully pour the prepared egg and cream mixture over all the fillings, distributing it gently in a circular motion to ensure it seeps into all the nooks and crannies. A gentle press with a fork can help settle any ingredients that float. All that’s left is to bake your quiche for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the egg filling is beautifully set and the top boasts a lovely golden hue. A knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, indicating perfect doneness.
Expert Tips and Tricks for Perfect Quiche
- Embrace Cold Pastry Ingredients: The secret to achieving an incredibly flaky pastry lies in using intensely cold butter, eggs, and water. When these cold ingredients hit the hot oven, the tiny pockets of butter melt rapidly, releasing steam that creates distinct layers and a wonderfully airy, flaky texture. Keeping the pastry as cool as possible throughout the mixing and rolling process is absolutely critical for this desired result.
- Avoid Overmixing the Pastry: Once you’ve added the liquid to your pastry dough, mix it just enough for the ingredients to come together. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, chewy crust rather than the tender, flaky texture we’re aiming for. You want small pieces of butter to remain visible in the dough, as these are what contribute to the flakiness.
- Never Skip the Chilling Step: Chilling your pastry dough is not just a suggestion; it’s an essential step! This period allows the gluten strands in the dough to relax, preventing the pastry from shrinking dramatically when it’s exposed to the heat of the oven. Furthermore, chilling thoroughly firms up the butter, ensuring it creates those beautiful pockets of steam. This crucial step actually makes the recipe incredibly convenient for make-ahead preparation, as you can chill the dough for 2-3 days without any issues.
Preparing Your Quiche in Advance
One of the many wonderful aspects of this caramelised onion quiche recipe is how well it lends itself to advance preparation. You can get a significant head start on most of the components, leaving only the final assembly and baking for the day you plan to serve it. This flexibility makes it an ideal dish for entertaining or for busy weeknights when you want a homemade meal without all the last-minute fuss.
- The quiche pastry can be prepared 2-3 days ahead. After lining your quiche dish with the pastry, ensure it’s thoroughly chilled in the fridge. Once firm, you can neatly trim off any overhanging pastry, then cover the dish meticulously with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
- The quiche pastry can also be frozen for longer storage. First, chill the pastry-lined dish in the fridge until the pastry is firm. Then, you can carefully lift the pastry shell out of the dish and transfer it to a sturdy, airtight container or wrap it tightly in multiple layers of plastic wrap and foil. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before blind baking.
- The bacon and onions can be cooked up to 2 days ahead. Once cooked and cooled, store these flavorful components together in an airtight container in the fridge. The bacon fat will solidify when cold, so simply zap the mixture in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to gently loosen it up before scattering it into your quiche shell.
More Delicious Recipes to Explore
- Classic Cheese and Tomato Quiche
- Hearty Bacon and Potato Quiche
- Elegant Ham and Cheese Tarte Soleil
- Quick Puff Pastry Breakfast Tart
- Rustic Bacon and Potato Tart
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Bacon and Caramelised Onion Quiche
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Ingredients
QUICHE PASTRY CRUST
- 225 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (8oz / 1 ¾ cups)
- 115 g salted butter cubed and chilled (4oz / 1 stick / ½ cup)
- 1 large egg cold
- 1 ½ tablespoons cold water (notes 1)
QUICHE FILLING
- 150 g bacon finely diced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 large red onions sliced (~600g/21oz before preparing)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 40 g Gruyere cheese or cheddar, finely grated (1.4oz / ½ cup packed)
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup thickened cream (heavy cream)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the most accurate and consistent results, it is always recommended to weigh ingredients where a weight is provided.
Equipment
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9 inch quiche dish (base diameter)
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food processor helpful but not essential
Instructions
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FOR THE HOMEMADE QUICHE CRUST:
In a food processor, combine the flour and cold, cubed butter. Pulse until the butter is broken down into small, lumpy pieces, resembling coarse flour. Add the cold egg and blitz again briefly until the mixture takes on the appearance of coarse breadcrumbs. With the food processor running on a low setting, slowly drizzle in the cold water just until the dough begins to clump together and form a ball (refer to the accompanying photos in the post for visual guidance on consistency).
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Gently tip the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Briefly gather it with your hands to form a smooth, round disk, handling it as little as possible to maintain tenderness.
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On your lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large, even circle, about 4mm (approximately ⅛ inch) thick. Carefully transfer the dough into a 23cm (9-inch) quiche dish (measured by its internal base diameter). Press the edges of the pastry firmly down into the corners of the dish, ensuring a snug fit, and allow any excess pastry to hang over the sides. Chill the lined quiche dish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. The pastry can be prepared and kept in the fridge for 2-3 days before use.
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PREP THE FILLING:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced bacon and cook until it is beautifully browned and crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside for later, leaving just 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat in the pan.
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To the same pan (with 1 tablespoon of oil), add the thinly sliced red onions, dried thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Continue cooking until the onions are very soft, translucent, and just beginning to develop a lovely golden-brown color.
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Stir in the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, ensuring to stir often. The onions will become beautifully caramelized and glossy. Once done, set them aside with the cooked bacon. Both the bacon and caramelized onions can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days before you’re ready to assemble your quiche.
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Finely shred the Gruyère or cheddar cheese and keep it chilled separately until you are ready to use it.
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In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, thickened cream (or whole milk), salt, and black pepper. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth and all the egg whites are thoroughly incorporated, ensuring no visible streaks remain.
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BLIND BAKE THE CRUST:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) / 350°F. Remove the quiche dish from the fridge 10-15 minutes before baking to allow it to temper slightly, which helps prevent thermal shock and potential cracking.
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Using a fork, generously prick holes all over the base of the chilled pastry. Then, with a sharp knife, trim off any overhanging pastry by running it flat against the top edge of the quiche dish for a neat finish.
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Carefully lay a sheet of baking paper into the pastry case and fill it completely with pie weights or uncooked rice (refer to notes for alternatives). These weights will prevent the pastry from puffing up and shrinking during baking.
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Bake the tart shell with the weights for 20 minutes. After this time, carefully remove the baking paper and pie weights, then return the pastry to the oven to bake for a further 10 minutes. The edges should now be turning a light golden color.
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FILLING THE QUICHE SHELL:
Scatter half of the finely grated cheese evenly over the blind-baked pastry base. Then, distribute the cooked bacon and caramelized onions in an even layer. If these fillings were chilled, briefly warm them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to loosen them before adding. Top with the remaining grated cheese.
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Carefully pour the prepared egg mixture over the top of the fillings, moving the pouring stream around in a circular motion to ensure it disperses evenly and seeps into all the spaces between the ingredients. You can gently press down on top with a fork to help settle any ingredients that might be floating.
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Bake the quiche for 30-35 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the quiche 180 degrees to ensure it cooks and browns evenly. The quiche is done when the top is beautifully golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (without wet egg mixture).
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Notes
- Tablespoons: This recipe uses a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon, which is equivalent to 4 teaspoons. Please check the measurement of your own tablespoons to ensure accuracy in your cooking.
- Pie weights: Pie weights, often ceramic beads, are crucial for blind baking as they weigh down the pastry, preventing it from puffing up or shrinking during the initial bake. If you don’t have specialized pie weights, you can effectively use uncooked rice or dried lentils. Ensure the pastry case is completely filled to provide even pressure. Once cooled, store your used rice or lentils in a container to reuse for future blind baking – a single batch can last for years!
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can still achieve a beautiful pastry crust. Grate the cold butter using a box grater, then gently rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Next, stir in the lightly beaten egg and add just enough cold water, a tablespoon at a time, using a butter knife to bring the dough together. This minimizes handling and helps keep the butter cold.
- Nutrition details provided are approximate only and have been derived from an online calculator. Please be aware that the specific brands and exact quantities of ingredients you use may cause variations in the nutritional information.
Calories from Fat 288